September 9, 2012 1:36am EDTSeptember 8, 2012 8:43pm EDTMissouri and Georgia are staging quite the battle in the Tigers' SEC debut game. A tight defensive game in the first half has turned into an offensive battle in the second half. The winner gets a leg up in the race for the SEC East crown.

COLUMBIA, Mo.—Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson made headlines earlier in the week after he’d referred to Georgia’s style of play as “old man football.”

Whatever Richardson meant by that, there was something decidedly old-mannish about the first half here at Faurot Field. The Tigers’ SEC debut vs. the seventh-ranked Bulldogs was a 3-3 snoozer before quarterback James Franklin—rather shockingly—hit Marcus Lucas over the middle for a 40-yard touchdown. Missouri leads 10-9 at halftime.

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Prior to that play—which Georgia answered with an Aaron Murray TD pass with 0:30 remaining—it was hard to imagine many old men back in the Peach State staying awake for the second half.

Before Missouri’s touchdown, the teams had combined for seven first downs and six fumbles. The Tigers’ ground game was nonexistent but for the running of Franklin, who carried 12 times in the half and probably ought not carry it a dozen more times if he wants to walk off the field after the game.

Georgia’s rushing attack has been quiet, too. Murray was completely silent before he hit Tavarres King for 34 yards to set up a 2-yard scoring pass to Marlon Brown.